# Monfragüe National Park The Tagus and the Tiétar between quartzite ridges and dehesa, with one of the largest colonies of black vulture in the world. Seen in a day from Cáceres; the birds call for two. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/extremadura/monfrague · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Monfragüe is a quartzite sierra split by the Tagus and the Tiétar in the centre of the province of Cáceres, between Plasencia, Trujillo and Cáceres. It was a natural park from 1979 and has been a National Park since 2007, with 18,396 hectares of Mediterranean scrub, dehesa and cliffs above the water. What sets it apart is its birds: one of the largest colonies of black vulture in the world, the Spanish imperial eagle, the black stork, the Egyptian vulture, the eagle owl and hundreds of griffon vultures that settle on Peña Falcón, opposite the Salto del Gitano viewpoint, within binocular range. ## How do you get there from Cáceres? By car, in a little over an hour: about 90 km along the A-58 to Trujillo and the EX-208 towards Torrejón el Rubio, or along the A-66 to Plasencia and the EX-208 southwards. From Plasencia it is about 25 minutes; from Trujillo, about 40. From Mérida and from Salamanca, reckon about two hours along the A-66; from Madrid, about three hours along the A-5 and then via Toril and the La Bazagona road, or via Plasencia. The EX-208 crosses the park from north to south and passes through Villarreal de San Carlos, the only village inside, and the Salto del Gitano. There is no scheduled bus that drops you at the viewpoints: without a car, the only practical way to see it is a guided outing. ## Where do you park? At each viewpoint there is a signposted car park: Salto del Gitano, castle, Tajadilla, La Báscula, Portilla del Tiétar. The park rule asks you to stop only in them and not on the verge, because some viewpoints are on public roads and wildlife crosses. In Villarreal de San Carlos you park beside the visitor centre, from where the walking routes start. Motorhomes can spend the day, but not park for more than two hours in a row between 22:00 and 6:00: for sleeping, the Camping Monfragüe, on the Plasencia road, has pitches and an overnight area. ## How much time do you need? One day covers the essentials by car: the Salto del Gitano in the morning, the castle, lunch in Villarreal or Torrejón and in the afternoon the eastern itinerary to the Portilla del Tiétar. With two days, the second is for walking: the yellow route to the Tajadilla or the green one to the Cerro Gimio are easy; the red one to the castle, of 16 km, takes the whole day. If you are really interested in birds, the third morning is for a guided 4x4 or birding outing, which reaches tracks closed to private cars and knows where to look for the imperial eagle. ## When to go? March to May is the best time: the raptors breed, the black stork and the Egyptian vulture have returned, the dehesa is green and the park organises its free guided walks. October brings the stag rut, from 15 September to 15 October, and mild temperatures. Winter is quiet and good for the black vulture and the imperial eagle, with short days. July and August are very hot: set out at dawn and leave midday for a boat trip from Serradilla or a canoe on the Tiétar, which are done just outside the park, because inside, swimming and boating are forbidden. ## What can you do? First, the viewpoints, which are free and beside the car. Then, the self-guided walking routes: three without a permit from Villarreal and another three, through the reserve zone, with an online permit. The castle, of Arab origin, is climbed by a tower of 134 steps. To go further there are the authorised companies: 4x4 routes from €40, five-hour bird outings from €50, the rut in autumn and, in summer, canoe and boat. The park offers free walks and bird outings, by reservation, from March to June and in October. ## Can you go with a dog? Yes. The park rules admit domestic animals as long as they are on a lead and under control, on the routes and at the viewpoints. They cannot swim in the rivers, like anyone else. In summer, think of the heat and of the fact that there is no water on the routes. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Starry skies in Spain - Cerca: Jerte Valley (a 43.6 km), Trujillo (a 44.8 km), Hervás and the Ambroz Valley (a 49.6 km), Cáceres (a 50.7 km) ## Qué hacer - **Salto del Gitano Viewpoint** (45 min · Everyone · Free): Salto del Gitano is Monfragüe's best-known viewpoint and the first one worth going to. It is on the EX-208, about 5 km from Villarreal de San Carlos heading towards Torrejón el Rubio, with parking next to it. There is no walking: you get out of the car and have Peña Falcón in front of you, with the Tagus in between. Peña Falcón, three hundred metres of quartzite The wall opposite is a quartzite cliff of about 300 metres that drops sheer to the Tagus, according to Turismo de Extremadura, which also calls it by that name, Peña Falcón. The river separates the viewpoint from the rock, and that is what makes the place good: you are level with the ledges where the griffon vultures perch and nest, but on the other side of the water, without disturbing them. On the same wall and around it you see, depending on the time of year, black stork, Egyptian vulture, Spanish imperial eagle and eagle owl; the black vulture also passes by. What to look for with binoculars Bring binoculars even if the vultures seem close. On the wall there are nests and ledges that to the naked eye are just smudges. Mid-morning, when the air warms up, the birds take off and start to glide; late in the day they perch again. The viewpoint is right by the road, which is narrow: speak quietly, do not step outside the designated area and keep an eye on the children. With a park educator, free From March to June and in October, the National Park runs free guided walks that stop to watch birds at its main viewpoints: La Tajadilla, the Portilla del Tiétar and Salto del Gitano. You must register; places open on the last Friday of the previous month and close at 12:00 on the Friday before the outing, at the booking centre or the Villarreal de San Carlos visitor centre (927 199 134). What you have within walking distance From the car park two sections of the red trail leave: one climbs to Monfragüe Castle, short and steep, and another goes down towards the Fuente del Francés. If you prefer not to walk, you can also drive up to the castle. To keep watching birds, the Portilla del Tiétar is about 12 km from Villarreal to the east, along the La Bazagona road, and completes a morning of viewpoints like the one in the plan Sunday in Monfragüe. Starlight sky over Peña Falcón Monfragüe has had Starlight certification since 2017, and Turismo de Extremadura cites Salto del Gitano among the places in the park that serve for birds of prey by day and for looking at the sky by night. Park only in the viewpoint's space and bring a red-light torch. - **Monfragüe Castle and Its Tower** (1 h · Everyone, with stairs · Free): Monfragüe Castle sits on the crest of the Sierra de las Corchuelas, right above Salto del Gitano, and is the most visited monument in the National Park. What still stands is little and heavily restored, but you can climb the keep and from the top you have the whole park at your feet: the Tagus, the Tiétar, the dehesa and the quartzite sierras. It is free and open. From Muslim fortress to restored ruin Turismo de Extremadura sums up its history like this. The Romans already saw the strategic value of the hill, but the castle we know was built in Muslim times, with a walled enclosure and five towers. In the 12th century it changed hands several times between sieges, and each conquest altered it. Later the Trejo family turned part of it into a palace. After the War of the Spanish Succession it was abandoned, and stayed that way until it was restored and rebuilt in the late 20th century. That is why what you see is mostly the keep and remains of wall. The 134 steps of the tower The climb up the tower is 134 steps, according to the Spanish tourist office, to an open terrace. At the top you understand the shape of the park: the Tagus squeezed in at the foot of Peña Falcón, the Tiétar arriving from the east and the dehesa opening out towards Torrejón el Rubio and Plasencia. Vultures pass at the height of the tower and often below it. Next to the castle is the chapel of the Virgen de Monfragüe. Driving up or walking from the river By car, a road leaves the EX-208 near Salto del Gitano and climbs to a car park close to the summit; from there it is a few minutes of slope and steps. On long weekends and spring weekends, before you go up, ask at the Villarreal de San Carlos visitor centre how access is and whether there is space at the top. On foot there are two ways. The short one starts at the Fuente del Francés and climbs to the summit; Turismo de Extremadura recommends it as a family walk. The long one is the red trail from Villarreal de San Carlos, 16 km, which passes the Puente del Cardenal and Salto del Gitano before the final slope. A morning with Salto del Gitano below Allow an hour if you drive up: the slope from the car park, the tower and a while at the top with the binoculars. Added to Salto del Gitano, which is below, it makes a relaxed morning; it is what the plan Sunday in Monfragüe: Salto del Gitano, the castle and Portilla del Tiétar suggests. Monfragüe has had Starlight certification since 2017, and the castle is one of the spots that Turismo de Extremadura cites for looking at the night sky. Dogs on a lead up to the tower Your dog can go up with you on a lead, as everywhere in the National Park. The tower is 134 steps: if your dog does not manage them well, let it wait below with someone. - **Red Trail from Villarreal to Monfragüe Castle** (5 h · 16 km · Used to walking · Free): The red trail is the longest of the self-guided trails that leave from Villarreal de San Carlos and the one that links the places that appear in every photo of Monfragüe: the Puente del Cardenal, the Fuente del Francés, Salto del Gitano and the castle. The National Park gives it 16 km and moderate difficulty, and describes it as three circular sections linked together. It needs no permit or guide, and it is free. Three linked sections from Villarreal You set off from Villarreal de San Carlos, next to the visitor centre, and go down towards the Tagus. The first landmark is the Puente del Cardenal, a 15th-century bridge that can only be seen when the reservoir water is not covering it; depending on the level of the Tagus it may appear whole or not be seen at all. You continue to the Fuente del Francés and from there climb to Salto del Gitano, the viewpoint facing Peña Falcón. The last part, the one that bites most, is the slope from Salto del Gitano up to Monfragüe Castle, high on the Sierra de las Corchuelas. The return to Villarreal closes the circular sections. Five hours and a serious climb With stops to watch birds, allow about five hours. The hardest stretch is the climb to the castle, steep and with slippery stone. It is a route for people who walk often. With small children or little time, the park has gentler options: the yellow trail to La Tajadilla, 8.9 km and easy, or the green trail to Cerro Gimio, 7.9 km. Doing just a part You do not have to do all of it. Villarreal to the Fuente del Francés is the flattest stretch. Salto del Gitano to the castle, there and back, is the shortest and the steepest: you park at the viewpoint and climb. With two cars, you can leave one at the castle car park and start from Villarreal to do it one way only. Water, map and the Villarreal centre On the trail there are no bars, shops or fountains you can rely on: set out with the day's water and food. The last place to eat or buy something is the Restaurante Monfragüe, on Villarreal's street. At the village visitor centre, from 9:30 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 18:00 at weekends in winter, they give you the map and tell you whether any section is closed; the National Park also offers the route for Google Earth on its website. Keep your dog on a lead, as everywhere in the National Park, and bring water for it too. From March to June and in October, the park runs free guided walks to the same viewpoints, with advance booking, if you prefer to go with an educator the first time. - **Yellow Trail to the Tajadilla Viewpoint** (3 h · 8.9 km · Families who walk · Free): The yellow trail is the most relaxed walk to reach one of Monfragüe's great vulture viewpoints on foot. It starts in Villarreal de San Carlos, the only village inside the park, and ends at the Tajadilla viewpoint, above the Tiétar river. It needs no permit and suits families. The route The Ministry for the Ecological Transition gives it 8.9 km and low difficulty. The path advances with little slope among small vegetable plots, patches of dehesa and Mediterranean scrub: it is an open route with wide landscapes, rather than closed forest. Allow about three hours there and back at an easy pace, plus the time you spend watching birds. The reward is the Tajadilla viewpoint. Opposite it, a rock wall above the Tiétar holds a colony of griffon vultures, which perch, take off and glide in plain sight. It is one of the three points, with Salto del Gitano and the Portilla del Tiétar, where the park itself runs its guided birdwatching outings. When to do it It can be done all year, but the heat rules. Between May and September go out first thing or in the late afternoon and avoid the middle of the day: there is little shade. Spring is the most pleasant season with the most bird activity, and autumn, September to October, is the season of the deer rut in the park. Practical You set off from around the Villarreal de San Carlos visitor centre, where they give out the trail map and where you can park. Follow the yellow waymarks. Bring water, a cap and country footwear: the path is earth and stone, not comfortable for pushchairs, so with babies a baby carrier is better. Dogs may go, on a lead and under control. If you do not want to walk so far The Tajadilla viewpoint is also next to the Saltos de Torrejón road, with space to leave the car: you can drive there and walk only a little way along the path. If you would like a guide, the park runs free guided walks from March to June and in October. What to combine it with From the Tajadilla, by car, the road continues east to the Portilla del Tiétar. If you have energy left another day, the green trail to Cerro Gimio is just as easy and more wooded. To sleep in the village itself, look at the Casa Rural Monfragüe. - **Green Trail from the Malvecino Stream to Cerro Gimio** (2 h 30 · 7.9 km · Families · Free): The green trail is the most varied in vegetation of Monfragüe's short trails and the best for getting to know the Mediterranean woodland from the inside. It is a circuit that leaves Villarreal de San Carlos, follows the Malvecino stream and climbs to Cerro Gimio, a viewpoint above the Tiétar. It needs no permit. The route The Ministry for the Ecological Transition describes it as a circular route that covers a significant sample of Monfragüe's typical vegetation, at 7.9 km and low difficulty. The woodland it crosses is the classic one of the park: holm oaks, cork oaks, Portuguese oaks, strawberry trees and rockrose. The first part runs alongside the Malvecino stream, with shaded stretches, which makes it cooler than the yellow trail. Then it climbs to Cerro Gimio, from where the view opens over the river. Allow about two and a half hours without hurrying. Watch the fork The first kilometres share a path with the brown trail, which goes to Serradilla through the reserve zone and requires an online permit. According to the Ministry, the two run together for about 3 km. Always follow the green waymarks so as not to stray onto the brown one without authorisation. Who it is for For families with children who can already walk and want something more than a viewpoint, and for anyone who wants to see the woodland and not just the cliffs. Dogs may go, on a lead and under control. It is not comfortable with a pushchair: it is a hill path. When to do it All year, except the hot hours of summer: from June to September set out early. In spring the hills are green and flowering and there are more birds; in autumn it is the season of the deer rut in the park. The Malvecino stream is also one of Monfragüe's astrotourism viewpoints, so if you finish at dusk, stay to watch the stars. Where to park and what to bring Park in Villarreal de San Carlos, next to the visitor centre, where they give you the map, or in the Malvecino car park, a few metres north of the village. Bring water, a cap and country footwear. What to combine it with If you like it, the other easy trail from the village is the yellow one to La Tajadilla, more open and with vultures at the end. For something longer, the red trail to the castle adds 16 km of moderate difficulty. On your return, the Restaurante Monfragüe is in the same village. - **Portilla del Tiétar Viewpoint** (30 min · Everyone · Free): The Portilla del Tiétar is the eastern gateway to Monfragüe: the point where the Tiétar river forces its way between two walls of rock. It is a viewpoint beside the road, free and with no walking, with vultures perched opposite, and one of the places in the park where you can best listen to the night. What you see It is on the La Bazagona road, about 12 km from Villarreal de San Carlos along the Saltos de Torrejón road. It is the last stop on the driving itinerary the park suggests towards the east, after the Tajadilla and La Báscula viewpoints. On the rock opposite griffon vultures perch, and the Portilla is, with La Tajadilla and Salto del Gitano, one of the three points where the park guides its birdwatching outings. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition describes it as the park's eastern entrance, a breach in the rock where these narrow gorges concentrate the greatest animal diversity of Monfragüe. The still water and the vertical wall work as a natural amphitheatre. The eagle owl The Portilla is also eagle owl territory. According to the Ministry, only one pair fits on its rock, and in late autumn, well away from the breeding season, the owls come into courtship: the male marks his territory with a deep hoot that the wall sends back and that can be heard for kilometres. At dusk and at night there is also the bark of the fox and the flight of bats. There is no timetable for hearing it: it is a matter of patience and silence. At night It is signposted as an astrotourism viewpoint, and Monfragüe is among the best places in Spain for stargazing. If you stay, bring warm clothes even in summer and a red-light torch, which does not dazzle. Do not make noise or shine lights at the rock. Practical There is a small lay-by next to the viewpoint: park there and do not stop on the road. Allow half an hour, more if you come to watch birds at leisure. It is a good place with small children, because it is next to the car and does not ask you to walk. Dogs on a lead. Remember that inside the National Park you cannot swim or boat. What to combine it with On the way from Villarreal you stop at the Tajadilla viewpoint, also reachable on foot by the yellow trail. Very close to the Portilla, already outside the National Park, the canoe trip on the Tiétar starts, from June to October. In the other direction, to the west, are Salto del Gitano and Monfragüe Castle. If you want to see it with a park educator, sign up for its free guided walks. - **4x4 Route Through Monfragüe and Its Dehesas** (4 h · All ages · Desde 40 € per person): A morning in an off-road vehicle with a naturalist guide authorised by the National Park, who drives, stops at the viewpoints, sets up the telescope and tells you what you are looking at. It is run by Monfragüe Vivo, a Plasencia company active since 2002 that sells its outings as Destino Activo. It suits anyone who wants to see birds and deer with someone who knows where to look, and anyone without a car: it is the most practical way to see the park without one. Through viewpoints and private dehesa tracks The four-hour outing combines the National Park's viewpoints with dirt tracks through holm oak woods, cork oak woods and dehesas of the Biosphere Reserve, some on private estates that you cannot enter on your own. The route changes with the season: the guide puts it together according to where the animals are that month. At each stop he brings out telescopes and binoculars. The company names black and griffon vulture, Spanish imperial eagle, black stork and Egyptian vulture among the birds, and deer, fox, otter and fighting bulls among the other animals; with luck, chicks in the nest or fights over territory. Animals are watched from a distance and without disturbing them. The shared outing ends with a small aperitif in the dehesa. The full day, from the castle tower to sunset The six-hour version follows a longer script. In the morning it looks for nesting birds of prey (vultures, imperial eagle, peregrine falcon, Bonelli's eagle) from the castle viewpoint, Salto del Gitano and the Puente del Cardenal area, and from Wednesday to Sunday it goes into a cave with rock paintings. At midday it stops for lunch at a restaurant in the park; lunch is not included, but the company reserves a table if you ask. In the afternoon it goes to the Tiétar area to look for imperial eagle and deer, crosses a private dehesa estate with centuries-old cork oaks, Iberian pigs, cows and sheep, and ends with sunset in the park. What you pay for each version Four hours, shared with other customers: €40 for adults and €35 for children under 12. With the vehicle for yourselves, on weekdays, €160 for one to three people and €210 for four to six; at weekends and public holidays, from €240. The full day costs €80 for adults and €75 for children, or €300 and €450 for the private vehicle for three or six people. The vehicles carry six travellers plus the guide. It includes the guide, vehicle, binoculars, telescope and third-party liability insurance. It does not include child seats or boosters: if they need them, bring your own. In autumn the company also sells an outing that combines the safari with the deer rut. Booking and languages You book with the form for each outing at destinoactivo.com, on 620 941 778 or at info@destinoactivo.com. You meet in Villarreal de San Carlos or in Malpartida de Plasencia, and another point can be requested. The departure time is not published: you set it when you book. The guides speak Spanish and English, and French, Portuguese or German on request. The plan Sunday in Monfragüe: a guided 4x4 and a dehesa barbecue fits this outing together with lunch at the Camping Monfragüe restaurant. - **Guided Birdwatching Outing in Monfragüe** (5 h · Bird lovers and the curious · Desde 50 € per person): This is an outing designed for seeing birds, not for strolling. For five hours, a local guide from Monfragüe Vivo, the company behind the Destino Activo brand, takes you in his vehicle to the places where the species of each season are best seen, with binoculars and a telescope. The company is authorised by the National Park and holds tourist registration OA-CC-00070. The route The route changes with the season and the year, so as to go to the best places at each moment. It always includes areas inside the National Park, with its crags, Mediterranean scrub, streams and rivers; the lagoons and dehesas of the Biosphere Reserve; and the Arrocampo reservoir SPA (special protection area for birds), a wetland where waterbirds gather. It is a combination that is hard to put together on your own in a morning, because it mixes cliffs, open country and water. Which birds you look for The company highlights the black kite, the Spanish imperial eagle, Bonelli's eagle, the eagle owl, the black vulture, the black stork, cranes, the squacco heron, the purple swamphen, the spoonbill and the marsh harrier. Not all are here all year: some breed here in spring and summer and others, such as the cranes, arrive in winter. Ask when you book what is most likely on your dates. No experience is needed: the guide helps you spot and tell the birds apart. Price and what is included From €50; the listing does not make clear whether the price is per person or changes with the size of the group, so confirm it when you book. It includes the company's vehicle, the specialised local guide, binoculars and a telescope, the National Park and Biosphere Reserve permits and insurance. It does not include travel to the meeting point, food or drink. An exclusive six-seat 4x4 can be requested, quoted separately, and they can reserve accommodation or a restaurant for you. Meeting point and booking You meet at the Hotel ELE Puerta de Monfragüe, in Malpartida de Plasencia, near the North Visitor Centre. The outing is in Spanish; for English, Portuguese or French you must ask and there may be a supplement. The listing does not publish a departure time: it is set when you book. You book with the form on its website, on 620 941 778 or at info@destinoactivo.com; the Extremadura office takes calls by appointment on 680 436 240. What to bring and what to combine it with Wear country-coloured clothing and bring water, something to eat and sun protection. If you prefer something free and shorter, the park runs birdwatching outings with its educators from March to June and in October. For an afternoon plan, the same company runs 4x4 routes and, in autumn, the deer rut. - **Canoe Trip on the Tiétar River** (3 h · From age 6 · Desde 30 € per person): Boating is not allowed inside Monfragüe National Park, but it is just outside. This trip goes down a calm stretch of the Tiétar river by canoe, from the edge of the park towards the Biosphere Reserve, and it is the coolest way to see Monfragüe in summer. It is run by Monfragüe Vivo, under its Destino Activo brand. What it is like It is three hours in all, of which about two are spent paddling, in a double canoe and with an instructor-guide. The route passes through several channels of the river and makes stops for a swim, already outside the National Park. It is calm water, designed for anyone who has never paddled: the instructor explains the basics before setting off. Along the way you see birds of prey and waterbirds. Season and price It runs from June to October; the listing does not publish days or departure times, which are set when you book. It costs €30 for adults and €25 for ages 6 to 11; for groups the price is on request. The minimum age is 6; for younger children, ask the company. The activity is in Spanish, and other languages can be requested. It includes the double canoe, the paddle, a life jacket, a waterproof barrel for your phone or camera, the instructor and third-party liability insurance. The company can also reserve your lunch at the restaurant at the meeting point. Meeting point You set off from the Hotel Rural Portilla de Monfragüe, on the La Bazagona road, very close to the Portilla del Tiétar viewpoint. From where you leave the car you walk down to the bank. What to bring The company asks for trainers to walk down to the river and footwear that can get wet, such as sandals or water shoes, for the water. Always wear a T-shirt under the life jacket. Add swimwear, a towel, a cap, sun cream, water and a change of clothes: getting a little wet is certain. Booking and what to combine it with You book with the form on its website, on 620 941 778 or at info@destinoactivo.com. Before or after the water, stop at the Portilla del Tiétar, which is right beside it. If you like the idea of a river outing, from Serradilla there is a boat trip on the Tagus Thursday to Sunday in July and August. And if you want coolness without water, the green trail to Cerro Gimio has shaded stretches by the stream. - **Boat Trip from the Serradilla Jetty** (1 h 30 · All ages · Desde 18 € per person): An hour and a half on the Tagus aboard a boat that leaves from the Serradilla jetty, in the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve, and sails to the edge of the National Park. It is run by Monfragüe Vivo, an ecotourism company from Plasencia that sells its outings under the Destino Activo brand. There is no walking or rowing: you sit, look at the sierras from the water and, in the distance, Salto del Gitano. As far as the park allows Boating is not allowed inside the National Park, so the boat stays in the part of the reservoir that belongs to the Biosphere Reserve. From there you see Salto del Gitano and the cliff of Peña Falcón from afar, which from the road is seen up close and from the river is understood in its true size. The company says it follows an environmental protocol to disturb as little as possible. It does not promise specific species: in its photos there is a griffon vulture, but what you see gliding over the water depends on the day. July and August, at 11:30 It is a summer activity with fixed days: in July it sails Thursday to Sunday and in August Wednesday to Sunday, always at 11:30. Outside those weeks there is no published calendar; if another date interests you, ask, because the company says it depends on availability. You need to be at the Serradilla jetty a quarter of an hour before sailing. The activity's page links the exact spot on Google Maps: save it before you set off and arrive with it to hand. Prices by age and the family rate Adults pay €18, seniors €16 and children aged 3 to 12 €14. There are two family rates: €55 for two adults and two children, €65 for two adults and three. All ages are admitted. Groups of 25 people or more ask for a separate price and can have the boat to themselves, with a tasting of Extremaduran products, a cocktail or an aperitif on board. How it fits into a summer day The trip ends around one o'clock, the hour when in summer you no longer feel like walking. If you want to see the park from land the same day, leave the viewpoints for the afternoon: the Portilla del Tiétar and Salto del Gitano are next to the road and ask no more than getting out of the car. The same company suggests combining the boat with its 4x4 route through the dehesas, which runs all year. Form, phone or email at Destino Activo You book with the form on the website, which asks for your name, email, telephone, number of people and dates, by phone on 620 941 778 or by email at info@destinoactivo.com. The website accepts online payment. It does not publish the number of seats on the boat or the cancellation conditions: ask when you book, as you should if you plan to bring a dog. - **The Red Deer Rut in Monfragüe** (3 h 45 · As soon as they can keep quiet · Desde 45 € per person): Between mid-September and mid-October, the red deer of Monfragüe are in rut. The stags roar to mark their territory and their harem, and the sound, hoarse and long, fills the dehesas (wooded pastureland) at dawn and dusk. It is the great autumn spectacle in the park, and a guided outing puts you in the right place at the right time. What the outing is like It is run by Monfragüe Vivo, under its Destino Activo brand, in a six-seat 4x4 with a driver-guide authorised by the National Park. First it stops at viewpoints inside the park, where you see vultures, Spanish imperial eagle and waterbirds. Then it enters a private estate of holm oak and cork oak dehesa, with traditional livestock farming, and ends at the top of the estate, facing a valley where, through the telescope, you can see the groups of deer in full rut. The guide changes the route depending on where each day they can best be seen or heard. Dates, times and price The season runs from 15 September to 15 October. There are two departures: at 07:00, at sunrise, and at 17:30, for sunset. It lasts three and a half to four hours. Pick-up is in Villarreal de San Carlos or Malpartida de Plasencia. In a shared 4x4 it costs from €45 per person. The private service costs €200 for one to three people and €270 for four to six on weekdays; at weekends and public holidays, €270 for one to six. It includes the vehicle, the guide, binoculars, a telescope and insurance. If you want more, the rut and safari 4x4 route lasts about five hours, leaves at 07:00 and costs €60 per person and €50 for under-12s; privately, from €220 to €350. Tips Wrap up warm: in October, at dawn and dusk, it gets cold in the countryside. Wear muted colours and bring water and something to eat. The key is silence: the deer will not wait for anyone talking loudly. With children it works if they can stay still and quiet for a while. Outings can be requested in Spanish, English, French, German or Portuguese. Book on 620 941 778 or at info@destinoactivo.com; in the height of the season, well in advance. On your own and what to combine it with From the park's viewpoints and roads you can often hear it, especially at dusk. With a guide you reach estates and tracks closed to traffic and know where to look. If you come in October, make the most of the free guided walks in the park, which also have outings that month. To sleep nearby, the Hospedería Parque de Monfragüe is in Torrejón el Rubio and there are the country houses of Villarreal, such as El Cabrerín, inside the park. - **Free Guided Walks in the National Park** (3 h 30 · All audiences · Free, with booking): Monfragüe National Park organises its own guided walks every season, free and open to everyone. They are led by the park's environmental educators, who know every viewpoint and every nest, and they are the simplest way to understand what you are seeing without paying for a private guide. You only have to book a place. What kinds of outing there are The programme has two formats. The interpretive walks go on foot through Mediterranean scrub, the dehesa and the streams, and explain the vegetation, the wildlife and the history of the park. The birdwatching outings take place at the main viewpoints: La Tajadilla, Salto del Gitano and La Portilla del Tiétar, where you can see griffon vultures close up and, with luck and a telescope, other emblematic species of the park such as the black vulture, the Spanish imperial eagle or the black stork. According to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, the outings last three to four hours and are of low or medium difficulty. They are for all audiences: they work well with children who can already walk for a while, especially the bird ones, because you walk little and look a lot. In addition to the fixed programme, the park sometimes calls one-off activities, such as those in its Conecta con Monfragüe series, which are published on the Central de Reservas. When The programme runs from March to June and in October, the most pleasant seasons and the ones with most life: spring, with the birds breeding, and autumn, when the hills cool down. In summer and winter there are no outings in the programme. The park warns that the calendar may change because of the weather or management needs. How to book You reserve a place at the Central de Reservas de los Parques Nacionales, online, or by phoning the Villarreal de San Carlos visitor centre, on 927 199 134. Each month's booking opens on the last Friday of the previous month and closes at 12:00 on the Friday before the activity. In spring the places sell out quickly: sign up the same day it opens. You can also write to info.monfrague@juntaex.es. What to bring and what to combine it with Bring water, a cap, country footwear and, if you have them, binoculars. Clothes in muted colours help avoid scaring the animals. Remember the park's rules: dogs on a lead and no swimming or boating inside the National Park. If you cannot find a place, you can walk the yellow trail to La Tajadilla or the green trail to Cerro Gimio on your own, or pay for a guided birdwatching outing, which runs all year. For a meal when you finish, the Restaurante Monfragüe is opposite the visitor centre. ## Dónde comer - **Restaurante Monfragüe** (Restaurant, Villarreal de San Carlos, €€). Qué pedir: the Vegas del Tiétar pepper salad, the kid caldereta or the stewed venison, and for dessert acorn or chestnut flan - **El Paraíso de los Sentidos Restaurant** (Restaurant, Torrejón el Rubio, €€€). Qué pedir: the 2026-2027 season game menu, €55 with water, bread and coffee; or the Extremaduran Gastronomic Menu. There is a menu of the day, vegan and children's - **Camping Monfragüe Restaurant** (Restaurant, Malpartida de Plasencia, €€). Qué pedir: the wood-fired roast suckling pig with potatoes and La Vera paprika, or the shoulder of kid; to start, Torta del Casar ## By car: The Car Is the Way to See Monfragüe The park is explored along the EX-208 and the Saltos de Torrejón road, with parking at every viewpoint. The park itself suggests two driving itineraries from Villarreal de San Carlos: one to the castle and another to the Portilla del Tiétar. There is no public transport linking them. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hospedería Parque de Monfragüe** (Hotel, desde 75 € / night): A design hotel in the dehesa The Hospedería Parque de Monfragüe is one of the four-star hotels of the public Hospederías de Extremadura network. It is on the Plasencia to Trujillo road, in Torrejón el Rubio, at the gates of the National Park and about fifteen minutes from Salto del Gitano. The building is purpose-built, renovated in 2015, and inside it has furniture and pieces by Vostell, Mariscal, Le Corbusier and Moragas. It has held Starlight certification since 2017, and in the garden there is an astronomical viewpoint that is lit up at night to point out the visible stars. The rooms There are 60: 46 standard doubles, 2 adapted ones on the ground floor, 4 doubles with a sitting area, 4 superiors and 4 duplexes. Most have a balcony or terrace onto the dehesa. The duplexes, facing west, have two floors, with a 150 cm bed upstairs and a 135 cm fold-down one downstairs for two children up to 12: they are the best for families. All have air conditioning, heating, a safe and wifi. The website advertises it from €74.95 a night. What it is worth knowing The spa is out of service with no reopening date, and the pool is closed until the 2027 season. What remains are the gym, a padel court, the garden, the café with terrace and the restaurant El Paraíso de los Sentidos, which opens daily. It has getaway menus with dinner and offers for over-60s. - **Casa Rural Monfragüe** (Country house, desde 70 € / night): Sleeping in Villarreal de San Carlos is sleeping inside Monfragüe National Park: it is the only village in it and the starting point for all its walking routes. The Casa Rural Monfragüe is a slate building on its only street, opposite the park's information office and interpretation centres. In the morning you set off on the trails on foot, without touching the car. Six rooms named after birds The six doubles are named after birds seen in Monfragüe: Collalba negra (black wheatear), Abejaruco (bee-eater), Rabilargo (azure-winged magpie), Golondrina dáurica (red-rumped swallow), Roquero solitario (blue rock thrush) and Oropéndola (golden oriole). All have a private bathroom, television, air conditioning and heating, and are cleaned every day. Four of them can fit an extra bed, and the house has cots for babies. Seventy euros a double, four hundred and twenty the house A double costs €70 a night and single occupancy €50, with breakfast and VAT included. An extra bed costs €28 for under-10s and €32 from that age. The whole house, with its twelve places, is rented for €420 a night, which is the option for a group of birdwatchers or a family gathering. From three nights there is a 10% discount, which does not apply on public holidays or long weekends. You book online from the Monfragüe Rural website, on 927 199 002, on the mobiles 669 367 403 and 620 247 987 or at info@monfraguerural.com. A lounge with a fireplace and bird books The common area is a spacious sitting room with a fireplace, television and free wifi. It has a nature and ornithology library with books in several languages and the National Park information folder, with routes and natural features to prepare the next day. If you come with a group for a course or a photography talk, they lend a projector at no cost. Breakfast a few metres away, guides from the door Breakfast is served at the Restaurante Monfragüe, run by the same family and a few metres from the house, at flexible times: agree the time the evening before if you want to set off early. From the house you can hire binoculars and electric bicycles, and book local nature and ornithology guides. For photographers, the house organises tailor-made outings with a guide who looks for the species and handles the necessary permits. On foot and by car from Villarreal On foot from the door you have the yellow trail to La Tajadilla, 8.9 km and easy, the green one to Cerro Gimio and the red trail to the castle, 16 km. The park's free guided walks, from March to June and in October, are booked at the visitor centre right opposite. By car, Salto del Gitano is about 5 km away on the EX-208. You get here along the EX-208 from Plasencia or Trujillo. From Madrid, take the A-5 and the EX-A1 to exit 29 and the La Bazagona road, which ends at the EX-208 1.5 km from the village. - **Casa Rural El Cabrerín** (Country house, desde 70 € / night): El Cabrerín is a renovated country house in Villarreal de San Carlos, the only village inside Monfragüe National Park. It has four double rooms and a dining room with a full kitchen, and it is rented in two ways: by the room, like a small guesthouse with breakfast, or whole for eight people. It belongs to Monfragüe Rural, the same family that runs the Casa Rural Monfragüe and the village restaurant. El Chozo, La Morrala, La Cayá and La Majá The four doubles have names of their own: El Chozo, La Morrala, La Cayá and La Majá. All have a private bathroom, television, air conditioning and heating, and are cleaned daily. The house's gallery shows the façade, the dining room and La Majá; if you want a particular room, ask for it when you book. A whole house for two families What sets El Cabrerín apart from the same owner's bigger house is the kitchen: the dining room has a full kitchen, so a group renting the whole house can cook its own dinners without depending on restaurant hours. The whole house costs €280 a night for eight people, with breakfast and VAT included. By the room, a double costs €70 and single occupancy €50. Monfragüe Rural's general rate puts extra beds at €28 for under-10s and €32 from that age; ask whether they fit in these rooms. From three nights there is a 10% discount, except on public holidays and long weekends. Breakfast, at the family's restaurant Breakfast is included and is served at the Restaurante Monfragüe, a few metres away, at flexible times. The same restaurant has an à la carte menu and a menu of the day for lunch, and a sales point for local products. Binoculars, bikes and guides from the house In the lounge there is a nature and ornithology library, with books in several languages, and the National Park information folder, with routes and what can be seen in each season. The house hires out binoculars and electric bicycles, organises routes with local nature and ornithology guides and, for photographers, tailor-made outings with a guide who handles any permits needed. If you come with a group for a course or a talk, they lend a projector free of charge. What you have at the door Opposite Monfragüe Rural's accommodation are the park's information office and interpretation centres, and all the park's walking routes start from Villarreal: the red trail to the castle, the green trail to Cerro Gimio and the yellow one to La Tajadilla all start on foot from the house. By car, Salto del Gitano is about 5 km away on the EX-208. By the La Bazagona road or the EX-208 From Madrid, take the A-5 and the EX-A1 to exit 29, then the La Bazagona road and, on reaching the EX-208, turn left: Villarreal is 1.5 km away. From Cáceres or Salamanca, take the A-66 and the EX-A1 to exit 46, then the EX-208. From Trujillo or Plasencia, directly along the EX-208. - **Monfragüe Campsite and Bungalows** (Campsite, desde 18 € / pitch): Inside Monfragüe National Park you cannot camp or spend the night in a motorhome, so anyone who comes with a tent, caravan or van sleeps outside. Camping Monfragüe is on the EX-208 road from Plasencia to Trujillo, in the municipality of Malpartida de Plasencia, 9 km from Plasencia, 6 km from Malpartida and about ten minutes by car from the park. It was opened in 1998 by the Barrado family, from Malpartida, and is still a family business. One hundred and fifty pitches among holm oaks The campsite occupies a holm oak dehesa. It has 150 pitches of at least 90 m², all with an electricity point, and wide lanes designed for large caravans and long combinations. Those under the trees have holm oak shade; those in the more open areas have wooden and heather pergolas high enough for a motorhome. The washrooms are recently built, with free hot water 24 hours a day, individual enclosed basins and facilities for disabled people and for babies. There are washing-up sinks and a laundry. Bungalows in two models For those who do not bring their own roof there are bungalows of about 35 m² for four, in apartment format: one bedroom, a full bathroom with a bath and a living room-kitchen with a sofa bed for the other two places. Model 1 has two separate beds and its own porch; model 2, a double bed, and comes in rows of three that share a continuous porch of wood and tile. All have bed linen, kitchenware, television, microwave, fridge and air conditioning. The website advertises them at €50 to €90 a night depending on season, with the 2025 table still published: call to confirm the price for your dates. 2026 camping rates The pitch, with the set-up and electricity, costs €18; people are extra: €4.80 per adult from age 11 and €4.20 from 3 to 10. The table also gives individual prices (car €4.20, caravan or tent €4.80, motorhome €8.80, electricity €5.50, motorbike €3). With the ACSI card, €21 for two people with set-up and electricity. For long stays, €500 a month for two adults with a vehicle and electricity, and €750 in August and Holy Week. If you only want to sleep one night in a motorhome, the overnight area, asphalted and next to the washrooms, costs €15 from 21:00 to 9:00, with no pitch or electricity but use of the facilities. Pools, court and social lounge There are two outdoor pools, an adults' one of 25 by 12 metres and a children's one of 12 by 6, with natural grass, shade from holm oaks and willows, changing rooms, a first-aid kit and a kiosk for drinks and ice cream; campers get in free. A multi-sport court serves for tennis, basketball or five-a-side football. The social lounge, air-conditioned and with a fireplace, has board games, wifi and a bar, and there is a games room for children, a playground, barbecues and fountains, a book-swap library and bicycle hire. The supermarket receives bread every morning. For the park, a car From here the park is done by car: Salto del Gitano and Villarreal de San Carlos are along the same EX-208 to the south. The campsite restaurant serves breakfasts and lunches every day except Wednesday, with wood-fired roasts, and one of the guided 4x4 outings may meet at Malpartida de Plasencia, 6 km away. Reception morning and evening Reception opens from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 22:00. You book on the website, on 927 459 233 or by WhatsApp on 605 940 878. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted or publish check-in and check-out times: ask when you book. ## On foot: On Foot from Villarreal de San Carlos All the park's walking routes start from Villarreal de San Carlos or pass through it. If you sleep in the village, you leave the car for two days and set off on foot at dawn, the best time for seeing birds and the only cool one in summer. Presupuesto orientativo: 60–100 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're on foot - **Casa Rural Monfragüe** (Country house, desde 70 € / night): Sleeping in Villarreal de San Carlos is sleeping inside Monfragüe National Park: it is the only village in it and the starting point for all its walking routes. The Casa Rural Monfragüe is a slate building on its only street, opposite the park's information office and interpretation centres. In the morning you set off on the trails on foot, without touching the car. Six rooms named after birds The six doubles are named after birds seen in Monfragüe: Collalba negra (black wheatear), Abejaruco (bee-eater), Rabilargo (azure-winged magpie), Golondrina dáurica (red-rumped swallow), Roquero solitario (blue rock thrush) and Oropéndola (golden oriole). All have a private bathroom, television, air conditioning and heating, and are cleaned every day. Four of them can fit an extra bed, and the house has cots for babies. Seventy euros a double, four hundred and twenty the house A double costs €70 a night and single occupancy €50, with breakfast and VAT included. An extra bed costs €28 for under-10s and €32 from that age. The whole house, with its twelve places, is rented for €420 a night, which is the option for a group of birdwatchers or a family gathering. From three nights there is a 10% discount, which does not apply on public holidays or long weekends. You book online from the Monfragüe Rural website, on 927 199 002, on the mobiles 669 367 403 and 620 247 987 or at info@monfraguerural.com. A lounge with a fireplace and bird books The common area is a spacious sitting room with a fireplace, television and free wifi. It has a nature and ornithology library with books in several languages and the National Park information folder, with routes and natural features to prepare the next day. If you come with a group for a course or a photography talk, they lend a projector at no cost. Breakfast a few metres away, guides from the door Breakfast is served at the Restaurante Monfragüe, run by the same family and a few metres from the house, at flexible times: agree the time the evening before if you want to set off early. From the house you can hire binoculars and electric bicycles, and book local nature and ornithology guides. For photographers, the house organises tailor-made outings with a guide who looks for the species and handles the necessary permits. On foot and by car from Villarreal On foot from the door you have the yellow trail to La Tajadilla, 8.9 km and easy, the green one to Cerro Gimio and the red trail to the castle, 16 km. The park's free guided walks, from March to June and in October, are booked at the visitor centre right opposite. By car, Salto del Gitano is about 5 km away on the EX-208. You get here along the EX-208 from Plasencia or Trujillo. From Madrid, take the A-5 and the EX-A1 to exit 29 and the La Bazagona road, which ends at the EX-208 1.5 km from the village. - **Casa Rural El Cabrerín** (Country house, desde 70 € / night): El Cabrerín is a renovated country house in Villarreal de San Carlos, the only village inside Monfragüe National Park. It has four double rooms and a dining room with a full kitchen, and it is rented in two ways: by the room, like a small guesthouse with breakfast, or whole for eight people. It belongs to Monfragüe Rural, the same family that runs the Casa Rural Monfragüe and the village restaurant. El Chozo, La Morrala, La Cayá and La Majá The four doubles have names of their own: El Chozo, La Morrala, La Cayá and La Majá. All have a private bathroom, television, air conditioning and heating, and are cleaned daily. The house's gallery shows the façade, the dining room and La Majá; if you want a particular room, ask for it when you book. A whole house for two families What sets El Cabrerín apart from the same owner's bigger house is the kitchen: the dining room has a full kitchen, so a group renting the whole house can cook its own dinners without depending on restaurant hours. The whole house costs €280 a night for eight people, with breakfast and VAT included. By the room, a double costs €70 and single occupancy €50. Monfragüe Rural's general rate puts extra beds at €28 for under-10s and €32 from that age; ask whether they fit in these rooms. From three nights there is a 10% discount, except on public holidays and long weekends. Breakfast, at the family's restaurant Breakfast is included and is served at the Restaurante Monfragüe, a few metres away, at flexible times. The same restaurant has an à la carte menu and a menu of the day for lunch, and a sales point for local products. Binoculars, bikes and guides from the house In the lounge there is a nature and ornithology library, with books in several languages, and the National Park information folder, with routes and what can be seen in each season. The house hires out binoculars and electric bicycles, organises routes with local nature and ornithology guides and, for photographers, tailor-made outings with a guide who handles any permits needed. If you come with a group for a course or a talk, they lend a projector free of charge. What you have at the door Opposite Monfragüe Rural's accommodation are the park's information office and interpretation centres, and all the park's walking routes start from Villarreal: the red trail to the castle, the green trail to Cerro Gimio and the yellow one to La Tajadilla all start on foot from the house. By car, Salto del Gitano is about 5 km away on the EX-208. By the La Bazagona road or the EX-208 From Madrid, take the A-5 and the EX-A1 to exit 29, then the La Bazagona road and, on reaching the EX-208, turn left: Villarreal is 1.5 km away. From Cáceres or Salamanca, take the A-66 and the EX-A1 to exit 46, then the EX-208. From Trujillo or Plasencia, directly along the EX-208. - **Monfragüe Campsite and Bungalows** (Campsite, desde 18 € / pitch): Inside Monfragüe National Park you cannot camp or spend the night in a motorhome, so anyone who comes with a tent, caravan or van sleeps outside. Camping Monfragüe is on the EX-208 road from Plasencia to Trujillo, in the municipality of Malpartida de Plasencia, 9 km from Plasencia, 6 km from Malpartida and about ten minutes by car from the park. It was opened in 1998 by the Barrado family, from Malpartida, and is still a family business. One hundred and fifty pitches among holm oaks The campsite occupies a holm oak dehesa. It has 150 pitches of at least 90 m², all with an electricity point, and wide lanes designed for large caravans and long combinations. Those under the trees have holm oak shade; those in the more open areas have wooden and heather pergolas high enough for a motorhome. The washrooms are recently built, with free hot water 24 hours a day, individual enclosed basins and facilities for disabled people and for babies. There are washing-up sinks and a laundry. Bungalows in two models For those who do not bring their own roof there are bungalows of about 35 m² for four, in apartment format: one bedroom, a full bathroom with a bath and a living room-kitchen with a sofa bed for the other two places. Model 1 has two separate beds and its own porch; model 2, a double bed, and comes in rows of three that share a continuous porch of wood and tile. All have bed linen, kitchenware, television, microwave, fridge and air conditioning. The website advertises them at €50 to €90 a night depending on season, with the 2025 table still published: call to confirm the price for your dates. 2026 camping rates The pitch, with the set-up and electricity, costs €18; people are extra: €4.80 per adult from age 11 and €4.20 from 3 to 10. The table also gives individual prices (car €4.20, caravan or tent €4.80, motorhome €8.80, electricity €5.50, motorbike €3). With the ACSI card, €21 for two people with set-up and electricity. For long stays, €500 a month for two adults with a vehicle and electricity, and €750 in August and Holy Week. If you only want to sleep one night in a motorhome, the overnight area, asphalted and next to the washrooms, costs €15 from 21:00 to 9:00, with no pitch or electricity but use of the facilities. Pools, court and social lounge There are two outdoor pools, an adults' one of 25 by 12 metres and a children's one of 12 by 6, with natural grass, shade from holm oaks and willows, changing rooms, a first-aid kit and a kiosk for drinks and ice cream; campers get in free. A multi-sport court serves for tennis, basketball or five-a-side football. The social lounge, air-conditioned and with a fireplace, has board games, wifi and a bar, and there is a games room for children, a playground, barbecues and fountains, a book-swap library and bicycle hire. The supermarket receives bread every morning. For the park, a car From here the park is done by car: Salto del Gitano and Villarreal de San Carlos are along the same EX-208 to the south. The campsite restaurant serves breakfasts and lunches every day except Wednesday, with wood-fired roasts, and one of the guided 4x4 outings may meet at Malpartida de Plasencia, 6 km away. Reception morning and evening Reception opens from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 22:00. You book on the website, on 927 459 233 or by WhatsApp on 605 940 878. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted or publish check-in and check-out times: ask when you book. ## As a family: Vultures a Few Metres Away and Trails Without Slopes Monfragüe works very well with children because the most impressive sight can be seen from the car: at Salto del Gitano the vultures perch on the wall opposite. Alternate viewpoints with a short trail and leave the afternoon for a boat or canoe trip in summer. ### What works best Salto del Gitano and the Portilla del Tiétar, next to the car park The castle tower: 134 steps and the park at your feet The green trail to Cerro Gimio, 7.9 easy km with shade beside the stream The 4x4 route, €35 for under-12s, with a telescope ### Where to sleep The Hospedería's duplexes, with a bed for two children up to 12 A Camping Monfragüe bungalow, with a pool and playground ### Where to eat Children's menu at El Paraíso de los Sentidos Camping Monfragüe roasts at midday ### Bear in mind Bring binoculars for each child: there are not many to share In summer, only early morning and late afternoon; at midday it is over 35 °C The canoe is from age 6 and the boat is for all ages ### Qué hacer as a family - Salto del Gitano Viewpoint - Monfragüe Castle and Its Tower - Yellow Trail to the Tajadilla Viewpoint - Green Trail from the Malvecino Stream to Cerro Gimio - Portilla del Tiétar Viewpoint - 4x4 Route Through Monfragüe and Its Dehesas - Canoe Trip on the Tiétar River - Boat Trip from the Serradilla Jetty - The Red Deer Rut in Monfragüe - Free Guided Walks in the National Park ## With young children: Everything Close to the Car With children under six, Monfragüe is done from viewpoint to viewpoint: the vultures are in plain sight and there is hardly any walking. The trails are earth and stone: bring a baby carrier, not a pushchair. ### What works best Salto del Gitano, with the vultures perched in front of the car park The Portilla del Tiétar, next to the car The boat from Serradilla in July and August, €14 for ages 3 to 12 ### Where to sleep Camping Monfragüe, with a paddling pool, playground and games room Casa Rural Monfragüe, with an extra bed at €28 for under-10s ### Where to eat Restaurante Monfragüe, in Villarreal, without leaving the park Campsite restaurant, from 8:00 to 17:00 ### Bear in mind You bring the 4x4's child seats or boosters yourself Little shade and strong heat in summer: cap and water Take care at the viewpoints above the road ### Qué hacer with young children - Salto del Gitano Viewpoint - Portilla del Tiétar Viewpoint - Boat Trip from the Serradilla Jetty ## With teenagers: Birds of Prey, Canoes and a Proper Trail A teenager gets bored with one viewpoint after another. Give them a challenge: the whole red trail, a canoe on the Tiétar or an evening of the deer rut, and binoculars of their own to look for the imperial eagle. ### What works best The red trail to the castle, 16 km, with the final climb from Salto del Gitano The canoe on the Tiétar, from June to October, two hours on the water The deer rut, from 15 September to 15 October A five-hour guided birdwatching outing, with a telescope ### Where to sleep El Cabrerín, the whole house, if you are a group Camping Monfragüe, with pools and sports courts ### Where to eat Sandwiches for the trail: there is nothing along the way Dinner in Villarreal, at the Restaurante Monfragüe ### Bear in mind No coverage in much of the park: make sure they tell someone their route The trails that need a permit (brown, purple, black) cannot be improvised ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Salto del Gitano Viewpoint - Monfragüe Castle and Its Tower - Red Trail from Villarreal to Monfragüe Castle - Yellow Trail to the Tajadilla Viewpoint - 4x4 Route Through Monfragüe and Its Dehesas - Guided Birdwatching Outing in Monfragüe - Canoe Trip on the Tiétar River - The Red Deer Rut in Monfragüe - Free Guided Walks in the National Park ## Consejos ### Bring binoculars They are essential, the park itself says so: the vultures can be seen with the naked eye, but the nests, the eagles and the black storks cannot. ### Start early First thing there are more birds on the move, fewer cars and less heat. The mid-morning thermals are the best for watching vultures soar. ### Speak quietly at the viewpoints Noise scares off wildlife and you end up neither hearing nor seeing it. ### Book the free walks the day they open Spring places open on the last Friday of the previous month and run out quickly. ### Tell someone your route Mobile coverage is patchy. For emergencies, 112. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Do you have to pay to enter Monfragüe? No. The park, the viewpoints, the castle and the self-guided routes are free. You only pay for activities with companies, such as the 4x4 routes. ### How long does it take to get from Cáceres to Monfragüe? A little over an hour by car, about 90 km, to Villarreal de San Carlos. From Plasencia, about 25 minutes. ### Where can you see the vultures? At the Salto del Gitano, opposite Peña Falcón, almost all year. Also at the Tajadilla and at the Portilla del Tiétar. ### Can you swim in the Tagus or the Tiétar? No. Inside the National Park swimming and boating are forbidden. The boat and the canoe leave from outside its boundaries. ### Can you sleep inside the park? Yes, in Villarreal de San Carlos, in its two rural houses. You cannot camp or overnight in a motorhome. ### Which routes need a permit? The brown, the purple and the black, which cross the reserve zone. The red, the green and the yellow do not. ### Can you go with children? Yes. The viewpoints are beside the car and the green and the yellow routes are easy. With little ones, a baby carrier is better than a pushchair.